There is such a bewildering array of possibilities to choose from (or be instructed in), what do you intend to follow, and why?

I intend to follow my Guru's instruction.

I'm so far from the completetion of my Ngondro practice that it seems pointless to make any sort of plans for Life After Ngondro. I have to finish the practice before I can go on to other practices, so I focus on the task at hand.

I'm making sufficent connection with the practice right now that if it turns out that Ngondro stays my main practice for the rest of my life, it will be enough.

All that said, I have a basic knowledge of what my post-Ngondro options are and when I finish Ngondro, I'll have a sit-down with my Guru and we'll decide what, if anything is next.

I was asking Mahamudra ngondro practitioners their opinion, their interests, their practice goals.

I asked that out of interest in the question, to see why people make these decisions, what motivates them.

This type of response is however all too frequent here at Dharma Wheel, and it is quite frustrating. Most discussions elicit the over-obvious 'ask your lama'. Why do we even call this a Buddhist discussion forum? Maybe this is why the Kagyu subforum is such a dismal effort. Maybe this is why there are so many more topics and discussions to be found over at the Dzogchen subforum.

I was asking Mahamudra ngondro practitioners their opinion, their interests, their practice goals.

I asked that out of interest in the question, to see why people make these decisions, what motivates them.

This type of response is however all too frequent here at Dharma Wheel, and it is quite frustrating. Most discussions elicit the over-obvious 'ask your lama'. Why do we even call this a Buddhist discussion forum? Maybe this is why the Kagyu subforum is such a dismal effort. Maybe this is why there are so many more topics and discussions to be found over at the Dzogchen subforum.

Sheesh.

Or hopefully us Kagyu's are just too busy practicing to participate in endless forum chatter. One can wish at any rate.

I think the practice that you end up doing after ngöndro is quite a private and personal thing. To quote Gandalf in the lord of the rings: "keep it secret! keep it safe!"

While I haven't finished ngöndro myself, although I'm getting quite close, I do know what practice I'll be doing afterwards as I already talked to my teacher about it. But I don't really feel particularly comfortable (or see the point) about spreading it out across the interwebs, or even in my own sangha. So if other people feel the same way, that might be why you're not getting much of a response.

As to deciding what practice to do, I think the best way to pick what practice you do after you finish ngöndro is to pick the one that will enable you to be of the most benefit to sentient beings. And like other people said, I think your Guru would know that best.

As per usual I went about things ass first! The reason I started Ngondro is because I wanted and asked for a specific post-ngondro practice. Still got a couple of years though. Gotta say one thing though, whoever told me that your knees get used to prostating was lying!

gregkavarnos wrote:As per usual I went about things ass first! The reason I started Ngondro is because I wanted and asked for a specific post-ngondro practice. Still got a couple of years though. Gotta say one thing though, whoever told me that your knees get used to prostating was lying!

They only get used to prostrations after your third complete knee replacement operation

gregkavarnos wrote:As per usual I went about things ass first! The reason I started Ngondro is because I wanted and asked for a specific post-ngondro practice. Still got a couple of years though. Gotta say one thing though, whoever told me that your knees get used to prostating was lying!

Either that, or they were in their early 20's

One thing for sure, Ngondro ain't for pussies. I'm in my late 50's and I'm finding the practice more physically, spiritually, emotionally and intellectually challenging that just about anything I've ever done. Just finding the time to do the practice is a major challenge. I'm still working on prostration practice and it takes me about 90 minutes to complete it (and I do half p's). After a full day at the office, dinner, some quiet time with the wife, 90 minutes of practice ain't easy. At all.

I'm convinced that Ngondro is something you have to really want to do. It takes commitment. It takes focus.

Chaz wrote:I'm convinced that Ngondro is something you have to really want to do. It takes commitment. It takes focus.

The wonderful thing about ngondro is that unlike almost everything else in life, it can't be faked. Sooner or later you have to either get real or give it up.

Chris

"All the sublime teachings, so profound--to throw away one and then grab yet another will not bear even a single fruit. Persevere, therefore, in simply one."--Dudjom Rinpoche, "Nectar for the Hearts of Fortunate Disciples. Song No. 8"

N..which version of Millarepa do you know or suppose as true..as sourcerer or not.

I'd guess not but am no scholor.

"This order considers that progress can be achieved more rapidly during a single month of self-transformation through terrifying conditions in rough terrain and in "the abode of harmful forces" than through meditating for a period of three years in towns and monasteries"....Takpo Tashi Namgyal.

N..which version of Millarepa do you know or suppose as true..as sourcerer or not.

I'd guess not but am no scholor.

Read Peter Allen Roberts' book on the bios of Rechungpa.

The standard bio of Milarepa by Tsang Nyon Heruka, is quite late and stands a number of facts on their head when it is compared to bios composed by Gampopa, and so on (for example, Milarepa's mother is never mentioned, his father was alive, there was no evil Aunt and Uncle, etc. ).

Basically, Roberts tracks all of the hagiographies of Mila in an effort to find out why Mila's main student, Rechungpa, and only complete lineage holder, was turned into an example of the "bad student" par excellence by generations of Kagyu monastics.

So, a discussion of Kagyu Ngondro practice suddenly becomes a lesson in history?

I am reminded of a story that is told about Milarepa, that at the time I posted had some slight parallel to my practice. Whether or not it really happened is quite irrelevant both to me, and IMHO, to this discussion.

(I orginally posted this: "Whether it happened or not isn't of much importance to me.')

Last edited by Chaz on Wed Jul 27, 2011 8:43 pm, edited 2 times in total.

"This order considers that progress can be achieved more rapidly during a single month of self-transformation through terrifying conditions in rough terrain and in "the abode of harmful forces" than through meditating for a period of three years in towns and monasteries"....Takpo Tashi Namgyal.